Chapter Four: Moving

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So, here's the problem.

What kind of formula could equate Jin Zifu's eighteen years and six months of lifespan with a factory?

You Ye had said the decision was in his hands, meaning he could refuse the deal if he wanted to.

It wasn't that he thought the deal was ridiculous; he simply didn't believe it. Rather, it was precisely because he believed too much in the club's strange abilities that he couldn't agree to it so readily.

Luo Qiu had lived his twenty years, and though his father, who had been a policeman his entire life and a righteous man, had passed away, he hadn't forgotten the lessons his father had taught him since childhood.

As a child, he might have found it annoying, thinking his father was too naggy and too old-fashioned. But only after losing him did he recall his childhood. Although Luo Qiu felt he liked being alone, he never felt he was different from others.

He had his moments of confusion and pain, times when he missed his father and hid under his covers, swallowing tears.

Why hadn't he listened to his father more back then?

Why, even though he had a phone, and had saved his father's number the moment he bought it, was the communication record so sparse? Most of the time, he was the one being sought out, not the one doing the seeking.

Kindness and integrity.

As he recalled his father's teachings, Luo Qiu increasingly felt how absurd Jin Zifu's deal was. He didn't harbor any resentment towards society or dislike anyone in particular. His father's twenty years of guidance hadn't made him feel special even after gaining extraordinary abilities; the most important thing was caution.

"Master, please remember, you only have thirty days."

Luo Qiu, lost in thought, suddenly heard You Ye's reminder. It was like a bucket of cold water being thrown on him. He instinctively asked, "Before... did you often complete deals like this where lifespan was the transaction fee?"

You Ye replied calmly, "Humans are creatures with urgent needs, but often, alongside these urgent needs, they lack the ability to fulfill them. At such times, all humans can offer is themselves. Parts of their bodies, beautiful things, wisdom, emotions, memories... even souls. In fact, due to self-preservation, they care more about visible losses than invisible ones. Therefore, they are more willing to use their unseen lifespan as a transaction fee rather than something that can be directly taken from them."

Luo Qiu had calmed down and suddenly said, "Trafford, Devil... it means demon, right?"

You Ye smiled slightly, "Master, have you made a decision?"

Luo Qiu shook his head and muttered to himself, "If I only had thirty days left to live, obviously, I wouldn't let myself die easily. I would find a way to survive, no matter who I had to deal with. To survive, I should abandon kindness."

He looked at the displays on the nearby cabinet. "I can't escape the club's restrictions. Even if I reject Jin Zifu's deal this time, I'll encounter similar situations in the future. I can avoid it once, but not a second time. So, I should still abandon kindness."

He suddenly looked at You Ye and said, "But integrity, that's something I'm unwilling to discard... I will agree to this transaction, but only on the condition that you teach me how to assess if it's a fair exchange."

Since using lifespan as a transaction fee was Jin Zifu's wish, Luo Qiu felt that what he could do was to try his best to provide the other party with a fair commodity.

He didn't dwell on the problem too much; he preferred taking action over overthinking.

Kindness and integrity... but his father also often said that some things were better tried than thought about. Once you do them, perhaps you'll understand.

"Then, Master, let's appraise the value of Jin Zifu's factory. Please wait a moment, Master, You Ye will change and come out." You Ye smiled.

The maid doll then went upstairs.

Shortly after, she came down, having changed into a different outfit.

It was still black and white, but she had changed into a chiffon sleeveless dress. The design was white from the neckline extending to the chest and across the shoulders. Below the chest, it turned pure black, with a form-fitting skirt covering half of her thighs, and below that, it was all white.

Finally, she wore simple silver-grey flat heeled dress shoes.

She suddenly looked fashionable – because the silhouette was already Western-influenced, she now looked more like a model.

You Ye appeared before Luo Qiu, clasping her hands lightly in front of her, resting them just below her abdomen, and said softly, "Master, You Ye is ready, we can go out."

"Go out?" Luo Qiu was taken aback. "Are we really going to Jin Zifu's factory?"

You Ye nodded. "Yes, and we also need to calculate the factory's operating status, employee numbers, and so on. Only by restoring the factory's value to its most original state can we provide an accurate reference for your consideration, Master."

"...We don't even know where Jin Zifu's factory is?"

You Ye remained elegant. "Master, you don't need to worry. If you wish it, you can go... In fact, it shouldn't be too far. With your current abilities, it should be fine."

Saying that, You Ye walked directly up to Luo Qiu, suddenly extended a finger, and gently pushed aside the bangs on Luo Qiu's forehead. Her finger slid down his forehead to his cheek. She smiled slightly, then took Luo Qiu's hand and said softly, "Close your eyes and imagine. Imagine in your heart that you want to go to Jin Zifu's factory, and the club will respond to your request..."

Close your eyes.

Imagine.

What followed was a very peculiar sensation. His body felt incredibly light for an instant, and soon it felt as if gravity had completely disappeared.

Luo Qiu was momentarily lost in the feeling.

However, when he came to his senses, the gravity that bound his body to the earth seemed to have returned. Luo Qiu opened his eyes and saw a vast expanse of factory buildings, and he could hear the roar of machinery coming from within them.

"This... is my ability?" Luo Qiu looked around in surprise, then took out his phone and used the map to pinpoint their location.

The outskirts...

"Yes."

You Ye said with reverence, "This is the ability of the club's Master. In fact, Master, you have only just taken over, so all your abilities are still in their initial stages. However, as the number of completed transactions increases, these abilities will also gradually strengthen... If your abilities become powerful enough, Master, you won't even need to make this trip; with just a thought, you can grasp all the information about the factory."

Regardless.

All Luo Qiu could think of at that moment was two words: So cool...